Matters of the Heart
by CSISaraSidle72
Summary: What if Sara never left, but Grissom did after Warrick died? What would happen ten years later? And what if there was someone special to help set them back up, along with a few of her 'Uncles' and an 'Aunt' of the CSI team? Will eventually be GSR.
1. Old Flames Ignite

Hey all! This is my new idea. For some odd reason, I have weird thoughts and dreams late at night...hehe. Scary, huh? But...anyways...enjoy the new idea from my crazy mind ;P

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Matters of the Heart

"Scout...please leave your uncle Nick alone." Sara sipped her coffee as she watched the brown-haired, gap toothed, mini twin of hers chase around her favorite 'Uncle' as they wrestled for 'who gets the last piece of the chess-square'.

"I swear, it's like raising two kids."

Catherine came in at that moment, looking at Scout, then at Sara. "Uh, Sara...I thought Scout was grounded from the lab for a month because of the rat incident."

The 'rat' incident was when Scout had found a rat in one of the labs that was being experimented on, and stole it. That had been two weeks ago, and she still had two more to go. But, in retrospect, she had been punished enough.

Sara sighed. "Yeah, well that was until my baby-sitter flaked out on me."

Scout stopped dead in her tracks, becoming defensive. She was, in fact, nine-years-old. "I'm not a baby!"

"I didn't mean it like that." Sara shook her head, looking at Catherine. That's when she noticed Catherine's unnerving, kind of paranoid look. "What is it? What's wrong?"

Catherine sighed...Sara could always tell when something was up, and vice versa. She looked over at the 'kids' and smiled. "Guy's, why don't you go to the lab? I've got a case for you two to work on, and I need to talk to Sara about one."

Sara could tell she was lying about the case for her, but smiled at them anyways.

Nick grabbed the chess-square, splitting it into two, handing a slice to Scout and stuffing the other into his own mouth. "C'mon kiddo. We'll go see about this case, and maybe I'll take your fingerprints, again."

"Geez Uncle Nick!" Scout shook her head. "I'm not going to rob banks...ever! I promise. Now quit trying to see if they pop up in AFIS."

Sara laughed as they left, then turned to Catherine. "Okay, you look like you've seen a ghost. What's going on?"

"Well," Catherine began, "You know how we were supposed to get this new graveyard supervisor."

"Uh-huh," Sara said, eyeing her best friend. "But I thought that they couldn't find a replacement."

"Well...they did," Catherine said, sighing as she rubbed her temples, dreading what she had to say next, but knowing she had to so she said in as quick as she possibly could: "Sara, it's Grissom. He's the one who they hired to replace Sheridan."

Sara's eyes went wide, and her coffee fell to the floor with a loud crash. "WHAT?!" The nerve! Here it had been ten years...ten years of her not being able to find him...lying to their daughter about him...and all of a sudden he was back?! "I-I-I cannot deal with this tonight." Now she was the one to rub her temples, only stopping as Catherine came over, giving her a hug. "Can't we just...you know...send him back?"

Catherine laughed. "Well, he was on sabbatical...albeit, a long one, but one, nonetheless." She pulled back, holding her friend at arms length. "But you have to face this, Sara. And you have to tell him."

"Well, that depends," Sara said. "When's he going to be here?"

"Um..." Catherine trailed off, looking at her watch. "Anytime now."

"Greeeat," Sara said sarcastically, standing there in thought for a moment. "Well, I can't dwell on the past. Just...try and help me keep Scout out of his view...I'd rather just wait on that one, and she does know what he looks like."

"No problem."

"Thanks, Cath." Sara smiled, and they finally parted ways. Sara had a B & E, and Catherine had a 419 along the strip. Sara just hoped that Nick, who was watching Scout, could make sure that Grissom didn't see her. Sara was pretty sure that she couldn't deal with this, right now. In fact, she knew that she couldn't.

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"Oh, come on Uncle Nick!" Crossing her arms over her chest, acting just like her mother, she pouted. "I won't tell her. Besides, if I'm going to achieve my goal of being an astounding CSI before I'm 20...I need to start young. She'll never kno--"

At that moment, a knock sounded at the door and the pair looked up to see a shadow that could only be described by Scout as a 'beastly figure'. Scout, who was sitting on Nick's desk, turned back to look at the wall, her eyes wide with curiosity and fear.

_Wow...that's a scary looking man._

"Nick?"

That's when Nick was caught off guard. He'd had the same impression that Scout had had, but now, with that voice...something about it rubbed at him the wrong way. And that's when it happened. The figure, with a full beard and all, stepped into view. Scout, who was holding a soda pop, almost dropped it. And Nick had to do a double-take to make sure that he wasn't just seeing things. After all, that could be possible.

"Nick Stokes?"

But it wasn't. "Grissom?"

Scout, now sipping her soda, spit it out onto the floor, nearly choking herself. Nick helped her out, patting her back. "You okay there, kiddo?"

"Uh, yeah." _Only I suddenly don't feel well. _Jumping down, she turned and looked at that man..._her father. _He didn't know...she could tell. "So...what do you say Uncle Nick?" She wanted to forget about _him _and just focus on her task at hand. At the very least, she could enjoy a good crime scene text book tonight.

Nick sighed, giving in. "Oh, all right. But for Christmas this year...just ask for one. If she knows your interested, she probably won't keep you from it." He browsed his shelves, searching for the best one.

Scout scoffed. "Yes she would. She still thinks that I'm seven."

Nick laughed. "Now see, you're not. Because that's the age that little girls grow up and stop liking Hannah Montana, which you don't right now."

"I never did!" It was true. She was more obsessed with death, science, and crime scenes then looking good, what music was out, or what new movie was at the multiplex.

"Yeah, that's right," Nick said, laughing as he got out two text books. Instead of handing them to her, however, he set them on his desk, gave her the signal to wait, and dug into his desk, finding a brightly wrapped blue package. "I was going to wait until your Birthday, but I just...can't. Just don't tell your mom that it was a Birthday gift."

Scout beamed, holding the package once it was given to her. "It's shaped like a book." She shook it. "It sounds like a book." She investigated the package. "It feels like a book." She pretty much came up with the conclusion that it looked like a book, so it was a book. She ripped it open, jumping up and down with excitement when she saw what it was. "Oh, thank you, thank you, thank you!" Throwing her arms around her favorite Uncle's neck, she couldn't stop her happy squeals...the only give-a-way, besides the long hair, that she was a girl.

Nick smiled, glad that she was happy. After all, she had been asking for that book since before her last Birthday. Henry James, _The Turn of the Screw_. Murder...ghosts...Scout couldn't have created a better book in her own mind, if she had wanted to. At least she had something good, something that she wanted, to read.

"I'm going to go read this right now."

_And she probably could read it all in one night, _Nick thought to himself, shaking his head.

Turning to leave, Scout found herself in the direct path of Grissom...her father. In the midst of all the excitement, she forgot all about him. She gave him a small smile, not parting her lips.

"You...look familiar," Grissom stated, staring down at the little girl who may have been young, but intelligent beyond her years. "Do I know you?"

"I...I don't think so," Scout said, suddenly becoming nervous, but did her best to hide it. She flashed her famous smile, which was the exact smile of her mother's, and Grissom's jaw dropped to the ground. Nick, who sat at his desk, slapped himself in the face.

_Great! _Nick knew what she was up to now. _She's acting...she's trying to get him to notice her...to know her. Great...just great!_

"Are...are you related to Sara?" Grissom finally asked, gulping.

"Uh-huh...I should hope so," Scout scoffed, looking at the two men in the room. She shook her head as if to say, 'duh'. "I'm her daughter."

Grissom's mind wasn't calculating right...he just assumed that Sara had moved on. Plus, he hadn't caught what was fully said about her age when he first came in or at all during their conversation...she only looked seven to him.

Scout smiled, walking past him. "I'm going to read now. Bye!"

"Bye Miss Scoutie," Nick said, waving with a grin.

Scout, who was already out of the room, poked her head back in. He didn't call her that and he knew it. She glared at him for a moment, making him laugh.

"Fine. Bye Wynnie. I'll come and get you when your mom comes back."

"Thanks Uncle Nick." And with that, she was gone.

Grissom, stunned, arched his thumb towards the retreating girl as he stared at someone who had once been a young CSI, all grown up now. "Sara's got a kid? Is she married?"

"Nope," Nick answered simply, sorting through paperwork. "In fact, Scout doesn't know her father...at all." Nick stole a glance at Grissom, before focusing, once more, with the stack of papers on his desk. He sighed, putting his elbows on the table and head in his hands, rubbing his temples. _Jeez...too much stress going on tonight_. He sighed, remembering that everyone had been on edge, and now he knew why. He was so glad he'd been warned...because he hadn't. He was going to hunt down and make Sara and Catherine pay if he could dig himself out of this hole that he'd gotten into. Oh boy...it was going to be a _long_ night!

"What?" Grissom just couldn't bring himself to believe that. He was sure that Sara had moved on...she just had to. In his heart, he had hoped not...but he didn't want her unhappy, especially for all these years.

"Yep," Nick said, confirming what he was thinking. "Sara...her focus is solely on that little girl...albeit, genuis, but still short." He smiled...Scout would've killed him had she heard him say that.

Grissom cocked his head to one side. "So...she's a mother?"

"Twenty-four, seven." Nick stood, rummaging around his desk. He had pictures of Scout all over it, which almost gave the impression that _he _was Scout's father. He could only be so lucky. Grissom didn't even realize _what _and _who _he gave up when he left. And, truth be told, it pissed him off a little...a lot. But he wouldn't admit it, now.

He couldn't. He wouldn't.

Not yet, anyways.

"Wow." Grissom stood there, in shock at what lay there before him. He sure as hell came back to a different Las Vegas. He wondered for a moment if he was appearing on an episode of _The Twilight Zone_, where nothing was at all what it may seem. But he soon dismissed that...still too many normal people here for it not to be real. But then again, what was normal?

Certainly not him.

"Hey Nick, what did you do with those pictures from that 419 from about...five months ago? I can't find them anywhere. The one with the teenager, the only suspect for her adopted parents' murder? Because I think that I've found a link to it from tonights B & E."

_Sara...oh, shit! _Nick walked over, standing in front of the desk by Grissom, who had his back turned to the door and was looking a ghostly pale. Nick tried to act as normal as could be.

"It's, uh..." Nick scratched his nose. "It's in the evidence box...cold case, remember? It should be in the back, since they've moved all the older boxes there." He was trying his best to remain calm. So far, so good. Hopefully he wouldn't blow this.

But then Grissom turned around.

"Oh--" Sara was cut off, her smile turning to a frown as she stared at the face before her. She was all of a sudden angry, only it wasn't sudden...it had been building for the past ten years, now.

"Hey Nick--"

Not paying attention to how close she was, Catherine had spooked Sara, who turned and knocked her coffee onto her.

"Oh, Cath...I'm...I'm sorry," Sara said, her anger leaving her for a moment.

Catherine just laughed. "It's fine...I'm just lucky that that was cold coffee.

Sara raised an eyebrow...Catherine never drank cold coffee. It was either steaming hot, or she had none at all.

Catherine smiled at her. "Hadn't had the chance to heat it up yet." They stood after cleaning up the mess, and that's when Catherine caught sight of Grissom standing in the same room as Nick. _And he's still alive? _She was amazed! "Oh, boy," she blurted out, receiving a glare from everyone in the room. She backed away. "I'll, uh...I'll catch up in a few." And with that, she disappeared as quick as she had appeared.

Nick straightened up his tie...he had a late court tonight to settle a case. _He has grown up_, Grissom thought to himself. _Wow._

"Listen, I'll be back in a few." He went to leave, allowing them access to his office while he was gone. But before exiting, he turned back to them. "No fighting...please." And, turning on his heels, he was out the door.

Sara just stared at Grissom for a second. _Supposedly _the love of her life. But if he loved her, why did he leave her? No matter what, she had never been able to answer that question for him, and she wasn't about to ask him tonight.

Nope. Tonight was _definitely _not a good time, for her.

Turning to leave, she felt a strong arm pulling her back.

"Sara..."

The way he said her name still had that same effect on her, but she couldn't go all 'weak-at-the-knees' on him.

He didn't deserve that.

After all, _HE _was the one who left, not the other way around.

"Grissom...not now," she said through gritted teeth. She was fighting so much back--on one hand, she wanted to punch him, but on the other hand she wanted to break down right there and just...cry. But she couldn't do either. She needed to get back to work.

"But Sara...we need to talk...please."

He sounded so sincere...but men usually did to get what they wanted. Turning to him, Sara finally let out what she was feeling. _Some _of it, anyways.

"Look, I don't know WHAT you're thinking here, but YOU left ME!" Sara said, fuming now. She was sick and tired of others playing victim when they were really to blame. "If I had left, I'd understand it. But don't try to play _that _with me...that game where you do no wrong, and I always screw up. Because it's not going to work now...not ever. Again. Understand?"

Grissom stood there, speechless for once. He raised one eyebrow at her, confused. He knew anger would be an issue, but he wasn't trying to discount what she was feeling with what he wanted. He merely just wanted to talk.

But she turned, storming out of the room leaving Grissom standing in the doorway, now, being stared down at by at least eleven lab techs.

And now he knew...talking would probably _not _be an issue with Sara tonight.

Because, as far as Sara was concerned, it didn't need to happen.

Because over ten years ago, Grissom had walked out on her, and she still hadn't forgiven him, yet.

And, Grissom knew now, she probably never would.

So, he set off into the direction of the break room for his second shot to find out about Sara...

...Her daughter.

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Hope everyone likes! I honestly don't know where this idea came from, but I loooooooved it, so I thought that I'd share ;)

Second chapter soon, so stay tuned...and maybe review...hehe ;^D


	2. Questioning Scout

Sorry it took so long, I had a brain block for a few days. But here it is, chapter two! A first part of secrets being revealed...hehe.

And also, Scout's first name, Gillian, is pronounced "Gil-lian" or something like that. That's how I want it, real name or not, LOL. BTW, since Nick called her Wynnie last chapter, I should probably state her full name before she does: Gillian Scout Gwendolyn Sidle. There...phew! I couldn't deal with a name like that for me, but I guess that's why she goes by Scout :P

And also, for those reading my other fan-fic Once Upon A Time, a chapter will more than likely be up later on today...with evilness, of course. Just putting some last minute fixer-uppers into it. Mwahahaha...*cough*...ha!

Any-hoo *whistles*...on with the fic! And please don't ask *hits head*...I'm just really really hyper tonight...this morning...whatever you want to call it. LOL.

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"Scout...where are you...Scout?"

Scout snickered from her hiding place as Wyatt, Uncle Nick's son, hollered for her, not being able to find her. She found it slightly amusing. He was five, and he followed her around like a little puppy dog. She guessed that Uncle Nick's baby-sitter flaked out on him, as well. Especially when she heard babbling.

"Oh, man!" she muttered to herself.

Uncle Nick's baby-sitter must not have known that little children should be seen, and not heard. Why leave a five-year-old and a three-year-old just wandering around the lab? Well, of course where Scout was right now, she couldn't see them. But it upset her because she was always the one to watch them, and for once she just wanted to read and be left alone. After all that had gone on tonight, she didn't really care for people, right now.

"Hey...are you two looking for Scout? Do you know where she is?"

Scout would pick up that nervousness anywhere. And what was mildly amusing was that they were all only a few feet away from her. See, in the breakroom the couch was pulled out just barely enough for her to slide behind. Curtain doors were sewn to the sides, and everything was already back there, ready for her when she arrived. She had blankets, flashlights, books, batteries...it was her place from the world.

Was it a wonder at all who her parents were?

"We not know." She had to snicker a little at Kaylee's vocabulary. She knew that Kay was only three, but it still amused her to no end. And Kaylee knew it.

"Well, will you all help me look for her?"

"There's no need."

All three were looking in the direction to where the phantom voice was coming from. Scout came out of her hiding place with one book, dusting herself off.

"Well, looks like I'm going to need a new hiding place."

Scout knew that she sounded cranky, but who could blame her? She wished she was still grounded from the lab at times like these. At least then she could be alone and get some reading done. Because, besides the little hint she had given her father, earlier, she didn't want to be bothered with it all. She didn't want to deal with it. In that respect, she was just like him, not wanting to deal with emotions. He left, and yes, she was mad, but she didn't want a part in it, at all. Instead, she just wanted to read...alone.

Sitting on the couch, Scout pulled her legs to her chest, keeping her book closed. She wouldn't get much reading done, now.

Grissom sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. The familiarity of this girl was too great for him, indeed. But he knew with the young children around, he wouldn't be able to get through to her. He bent down to the two, smiling at them. "Guys, I think that Judy at the desk has got some candy. She always does. And I'm sure that if you two are _really _nice to her, she might give you some."

Both kids smiled wildly. "Okay!"

"But I no guy," little Kaylee said. "I a girl."

And with a small snicker from Grissom, Wyatt took his sister's hand and led her out.

Grissom didn't know how he was going to handle this, but he knew he needed to. He slowly walked over to the couch, almost as if Scout's form was that of a wild beast, who would strike at the quickest, yet smallest move.

Scout looked over and glared, but didn't strike.

Grissom finally settled down and sat by her on the couch. He folded his hands in his lap and looked at them as if he were reading a book and not the lines in his hands. A book was far more interesting, after all.

"So, I guess we just broke up your party...I'm sorry about that."

Scout shrugged. She shouldn't be mad at him, but she couldn't help it. If he only knew...but she shouldn't tell him. And she wouldn't.

"It's fine. It happens all the time."

She was bored, so she lay her head on her knees, not wanting to look at him. Then she decided that was in poor form, so she sat up, moved her knees into an Indian Style position, and got her book out from beside her. She opened it to where she left off, and began to read. Or rather, pretend to read. Even though she wouldn't deal with her emotions, she was mildly interested in the man that her mother called her father. So, in the end she allowed his presence. But in a way, she wasn't really giving him her time. Not to him, anyways.

"So, you...like to read, huh? Like your mom does?"

Scout shrugged, but then nodded. "Yeah. She keeps saying that she's running out of books to buy me, but I don't know why. In a way I'll read anything, but I mostly like mysteries, ghost stories, text books about science and crime scene investigation, math text books...as long as it's not that romance junk, or stupid stories about stupid children who cheat their best friends or get mad at them and then set out for revenge. I don't like reading _those _kind of books." She finally looked up at him, her blue eyes shining.

Her eyes..._his _eyes.

She may have been a young child with a ponytail, gap toothed grin, scrawny arms and dirty clothes, but he could tell that she had a lot about her that you had to look into her eyes to see, and it was all a secret. He knew it all too well, because that's how he was. He could see the same pain in her that he felt ever since he left, and he suddenly regretted it as the biggest mistake of his life. He knew that her whole being was a front, now, so that she could hide from people. But did she do this with her mother? With Sara, the only woman he allowed into his life, into his heart? He suddenly felt that the girl was more familiar than what he'd first initially thought. He just couldn't put his finger on it.

_Why am I talking to him?_ Scout thought to herself. She wasn't wanting to let him in, but he had this sort of energy...pull about him. She couldn't help but be intrigued, and she wished to God that she wasn't. Why couldn't she just stay away from him, physically and mentally? As she looked at him, saw his change of emotion, she knew that he was _getting_ her...the way that her mother _got_ her. Nobody else knew that deep into her, and he didn't even _know _her, technically, so why was her soul allowing him in?

Scout suddenly became very nervous. She couldn't deal with this...not tonight.

"I um...I've...I've got to go...go to the restroom." She put her book down by accident and basically bolted off the couch, not stopping until she reached her destination. The women's restroom. He couldn't get to her, in there, and at least now she'd have some time to compose herself.

Going over to the sink, she turned on the tap, letting the water warm before gently and slowly splashing it onto her face. She plugged up the drain, letting the water fill the sink. When did this become the night from hell? Did God have it in for her, now, for never going to church?

"Alright, I get it," she said out loud to no one in particular as she leaned on the counter, dunking her head under the faucet. As her face became submerged, her letters were becoming hard to understand. She still said them, anyways, coming up ever moment or so for air. "I'll be good...I'll go to church...just let it go back to normal. Mom doesn't need him...I don't need him. We were fine until he came along." She noticed the sink overflowing when her pants became soaked, and she noticed it leaking...or rather, overflowing onto the floor. "Oh, great," she mumbled, turning the sink off and letting the water out. She sighed. Getting some towels, she started to clean it up, not noticing that someone had been standing there the entire time.

Until she cleared her voice.

Scout looked up, worry lines etched all over her face, until she saw that it was only her Aunt Catherine.

"Oh...hi."

"Hi, my little genuis," Catherine said, then grinned. "You do know that we have showers back there, right?"

"Uh...yeah," Scout said, finishing her cleaning before standing up, the excess water on her clothes dripping out onto the floor. She stomped her foot, pouting. "Can't I catch a break?" She was tired, cranky...she just wanted sleep or somewhere to relax, but she didn't have that luxury here.

Catherine started to feel bad for her little niece. She went over, kissing her forehead. "We'll call janitorial to clean this up. Now how about we go and get you a change of clothes from your mom's locker, and then we'll go and get something to eat? My treat."

Scout smiled. Someone who finally understood her. "Okay."

As they walked towards the door, Catherine stopped, kneeling down to her level. "Honey...are you upset because of who came tonight?"

Scout became defensive, crossing her arms over her chest. "How could you tell?" She hated being mad, but she couldn't help it. She hated talking. Biting her lip, she sighed. She hated being treated like a child...sometimes.

Catherine looked away a moment, feeling bad, before looking back at her. "Honey...Gillian...none of this is your fault. And you shouldn't blame him until you talk to him."

"But I did--"

But Catherine wouldn't hear of excuses. In ten minutes, they wouldn't be able to talk about much...at least not of anything that mattered much. "I mean, _really _talk to him, Gillian. Let him in...let him know who you are...how you feel about all of this." She could tell that Scout was fighting the urge to run away, right now. Catherine took a deep breath in, becoming frustrated, but calmed a little as she slowly let it out. "I'll tell you what--where do you want to eat more than anywhere, tonight?"

Scout was shocked...she rarely got to eat out. They joked about eating out, or were serious about it like they were eating out, but they rarely ever did. At least not when her mother was around. She had some sort of aversion to fast food places...at least for some time, now. Scout really didn't know why, either. It kind of perplexed her.

Smiling, Scout finally gave her Aunt her answer. "I guess Freddie's Pizzeria." She loved animals, but wasn't a vegetarian like her mother. Her motto: If they're dead, they chose to be that way. Her mother blamed it all on Uncle Nick...he gave her her first slice of pizza when she was three, and she hasn't been able to stop eating meat, since. Only problem was that her mother didn't allow her to eat out, so rarely did anyone else. So tonight was a treat for her...except for the whole 'MIA Father' who decides to randomly show up for some ungodly reason. It was going to be a _long _night for her...a long night, indeed.

Catherine smiled at her, ruffling her hair. "Alright, here's the deal...you go and talk to him, and I will go and get us pizza."

Scout sighed...that was the kicker. She thought about it for a moment, and Catherine was worried until her little genuis of a niece looked back up, again, a broad smile on her face.

"With extra sausage and pepperoni?"

Catherine found herself chuckling at that. "With extra sausage and pepperoni." And with that, they went their separate ways.

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Gilbert Grissom was a very intelligent man, no one could ever doubt that. But when it came to love, family, matters of the heart, he was...well...he was dense, confused, dead as a door knob kind of thing. And Scout knew this. How would she be able to get through to him without throwing herself out there?

Shaking her head, she found herself back in the break room. Grissom had a cup of what looked to be coffee, but was in his same spot...comfortable distance between him and where she was sitting. She was wanting to sit at the table, but opted for the seat next to him. It just seemed easier to her, and better to relax on. She was tired, she just hoped she didn't fall asleep.

Once she was settled, she pulled a throw blanket over her. It may have been April, but she still found herself a little chilled...probably just because she was tired.

After a few moments of silence, she finally decided to speak. "I'm sorry about that. I'm just not...used to being...around..._new _people." There. That was safe for her to say. He was new to her, even though she already knew him, slightly, like an open book.

He smiled at her. "It's fine." As he looked at her, though, he saw that same sadness still evident in her features. That's when something that Nick had said earlier began seeping back into his mind. "So...what does your father do?"

This was just too unreal for her. She sarcastically smiled, shaking her head. "I...really don't know. I know it's like what my mother does, but I'm not sure. I've never met him." There...she was playing it safe. Not too much info, but just enough. Man, he was really dense! Most of that was common knowledge to people.

"Did he leave? Die?"

"He...he left, before I was born," Scout answered with a shrug. "I don't even think he knew about me."

"I'm sorry," Grissom replied, his tone soft. But something kept nagging at him, something that he hadn't allowed himself to think, but was beginning to. But he, as well, played it safe. He was getting more than what Scout gave him credit for. "So--"

But at that moment, he turned away, and that was when the inevitable happened. It was like when a victim was _at the wrong place at the wrong time_, only hers him turning away just as her hearing went away. She supposed she would call it _having the wrong ears at the wrong time_.

She knew that it was a condition passed down...that her father had it...her grandmother. Big clue for him, but why it had to happen now, she'd never know. She tapped his shoulder, getting him to look at her. When he looked, she smiled weakly. "Sometimes, I don't hear so well. Could you please talk to where I can read your lips?"

His shocked expression was priceless to her...the 'deer-in-the-headlights', 'jaw dropped to infinity' kind of thing. But if he knew, he didn't let on other than that.

Grissom kept his gaze on her, not knowing what to think. But it all started to click. That's when he decided to make friends with her, maybe get her to open up a little more so that Gil could find out what in the world was going on here. He was still so confused about everything, and began to feel a migraine coming on.

He finally spoke slow for her, allowing her to read his lips as he said, "So...Scout...that's an interesting name. Is it a nickname?"

Scout was confused that out of all things, he wanted to talk about her name. But God forbid her and strike her down, but she liked it...she allowed it. "It's my name," she said, shrugging. "My middle name, or rather one of them, but I like it the best."

Grissom smiled. She was adorable, and this side of her was different. She was very intelligent, he knew that from the start, but now...now she was _allowing _herself to be a child, even if just for a moment. He liked that. Children shouldn't grow up too fast...not like she had.

"Three names?" he asked with a slight chuckle. Even though she couldn't hear, she could detect the chuckle, and she, too, let one out. "So...what are your other names?"

"Gwendolyn is my second middle name," Scout replied softly, finally allowing her guard to be put back up...at least over half-way. She didn't know if she should allow herself to say the rest or keep it a secret...she finally decided on the latter. "I won't say my first name."

Grissom became more confused, but finally decided that all of this was a mistake, convinced himself of that, and concluded that she just had one of those embarassing names that she didn't care to share.

But Grissom was wrong. He just didn't know how wrong he could be, or that a person could be as wrong as he was...as wrong as he found out only moments after talking with someone that he would've killed to have seen, now, before tonight...if he had known she existed.

He didn't know why, but he soon would.

"Why can't you tell me? Or rather, why won't you say?" He was inquisitive of this little girl, this genuis that seemed so vaguely familiar to him. He didn't know why, but he had to know her name.

He knew that she was insistant upon him not knowing. She didn't say in so many words, but he knew.

"I just...can't. I'm named after my father...sort of. And if I tell you, you'll know who he is, and my mom won't like that at all."

She was hesistant, but at the same time she was becoming frustrated and wanted to give up. He chuckled, cocking his head to the side. "Why? What if she didn't know?"

"She'd find out...eventually," Scout answered, raising her eyebrows with a 'what do you think, she's stupid' look. She shook her head, feeling a big migraine coming on. She rubbed her temples, giving in. "You'll regret it."

"I will?"

"Yep."

The little girl on the couch was tired of hiding secrets, lying, telling 'false truths' as her mother called them. And in a way, she wanted to know this man, deep down, although she wouldn't admit it. And she was afraid, because she knew that soon, he might...he wouldn't want to know her.

"Gillian." She pursed her lips together in thought for a moment. "And it's Gil-Lian, not Jillian."

Grissom had to allow that name to set with him, before he brought up his hand to his mouth in shock, not able to take his eyes off of the little girl before him. Gil...Gillian. It fit. Perfectly. And now he was beginning to understand. Her hearing loss, her familiarity to him, her being almost a carbon copy of him with her brains and her attitude of wanting to be alone. The other side, her emotional breaks every now and then and her sassy attitude...that side was one side that belong to her and her mother, alone...no doubt about it.

As he got a closer look at her, he saw her deep sea eyes...they were just like his...how in _the _world did he miss this?

"Yeah," Scout said off-hand. "You're my dad. And uh.._dad_, we uh...we have a problem here." Scout was looking out towards the door. Grissom was too shocked to look at first, until finally Scout waved her hand. As he turned his head, he heard Scout spit out familiar, yet foreign words.

"Hi mom."

Grissom finally saw Sara, arms crossed over chest, a mixture of emotions playing on her face from depressed to disappointed to shocked...you name it, it was there. Her foot was tapping at the ground, a nervous habit she'd had for some time now.

He knew that she was mad, and he couldn't blame her. He left her, alone...she raised a child, alone, and here he was, years later, and what it probably seemed like to her was that he was expecting an instant family. But that wasn't so.

He loved Sara, with all of his heart. He believed in being honest, and he had to tell her why he didn't come back sooner, _especially_ if it was the last thing that he would do.

But she was mad...still. And again, he didn't blame her.

"Gil-Lian, please excuse us."

"But--" Scout started, but was cut off. Well...looks like she set her father up to be slaughtered.

"No buts, miss." With that, Scout looked at her father, whispering that she was sorry before getting up, walking out. As she passed her mother, her mother whispered, "_We'll _have a talk later."

"Oh, man!" Scout groaned as she walked out.

Sara stood there, not wanting to sit. Before they delved into the past, she had one thing on her mind that she had to know. And he was about to open his mouth before she beat him to it.

But it was her voice. Not of anger, but of sadness...a sadness that she felt so deep, so real, that she could burst into tears at any moment. That's what got to him more than anything.

"Why, Gil? Just tell me why."

And within seconds, the past ten years flashed before his life as he remembered the nightmare that kept him away from his family, his friends. He took in a deep breath, gulped, and sighed before saying what he knew would break Sara's heart and confuse her all at the same time:

"Sara...hun...you might want to sit for this."

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Hmm...

And, in a way, I wasn't sure about this chapter. But I kept waiting and waiting and that's what my evil mind came up with...hehe. Don't worry, it'll get better...I pwomise ;P ...hehe.

And P.S. I wanted to put this up ASAP, since it has been a while. I'm not really checking typos tonight, so if any are in this fic, please overlook them and I'll fix them as soon as I can. Thanks!

~*~*CSISaraSidle72*~*~


	3. Authors Note

To All My Readers:

I will be continuing ALL of my stories very soon, but at this time I have had problems with my document programs. I had all new chapters for all of my stories, and it deleted them. I am hoping to be allowed to use someone else's computer for the time being to upload my stories on there. I hope you all will forgive me for my "laziness" on getting the stories uploaded, and I hope to have a new chapter to this story very very soon.

Thanks!

CSISaraSidle72


	4. Gone For Long

Matters of the Heart Chapter Three

Gone For Long--Why

Sorry it's taken so long. I've got most of the problems fixed on my computer, now, and I'm re-writing all the chapters to all my stories that I had done. Word of advice...don't use the trial of Microsoft Word on Vista if you want to continue writing stories...just buy it! Haha!! Anyway, on to this chapter of this story, and there's more to come for all of them. I'm writing all of this while doing a show with a theatre company in my hometown, and since it's finally warm out...outside is a perfect place to get work on, hehe. Anyways, on with the fic!

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Sara found herself obeying and sitting...not right next to him, not yet, but in the chair right beside the couch. That way, she could be close, but not a personal close...not just yet.

Grissom found himself staring at the love of his life. Why had he left all those years ago? Was it just because of all the pain of Warrick dying, or the fear that it could happen to anyone of them at any time, and he didn't want to be there for it...especially if it was him. He'd rather have Sara angry at him then grieving for him. But, if things had turned out the opposite for him, now...that's just what she'd be doing.

Silence followed for a few moments as the two former lovers just found themselves staring at one another. But, it was Sara who first spoke.

"What happened, Gilbert?"

First name basis...she rarely used that on him unless she was upset at him for something or another. And he did deserve it...he expected nothing less from her, for it was his fault that he'd left her alone, with child, and she'd had to raise that child all on her own while he went off to the Amazon in search of something that, until now, he hadn't known what it was.

It was himself.

"Sara...I only wanted to be gone long enough to sort things out. I was losing myself, and none of you needed that, here. Especially you."

His voice was calm, and that made Sara tilt her head, almost in confusion. What did he mean by what he said? Confusing Sara was a hard task, but Gil Grissom had always been able to bring that out in her.

He went on, sighing. "When I left years ago, I only planned to be gone long enough to sort everything out. I wrote letters," he replied softly, sighing. Pausing, he looked at her before going on, "but they never went through. And, without warning one day, I um...I developed a fever..."

Sara, who had been looking at the ground for a moment, suddenly looked up in surprise. A fever?

"It was right before I was to return home," Grissom said softly, looking at her. "It was nine years ago that that happened. And for eight years after that, I was...in a coma..."

Sara suddenly felt tears come to her eyes, but she quickly wiped them away. "But um...why...why didn't we know? Why weren't we informed about this?"

"Because they didn't know who I was," he replied solemnly. "Right before the fever, all my belongings were stolen. And from what they said, when they found me, I was...close to dead."

Sara sniffled, her hand going to her forehead as she thought about all of this. She suddenly felt so guilty. While she had stayed angry with him for so long, he had suffered an unbearable fate. While his daughter had been growing up, he was asleep, not knowing that the hands of time were passing by him, one second by one.

But Sara didn't interrupt what he was saying. She finally looked up, nodding her head for him to continue on.

"When I woke up in the last year or so, I had a lot that I had to get in touch with," Grissom said softly, giving her his small, 'Grissom' smile that more or less just said, 'things that happen will always just be'. He shrugged his shoulders. "I was finally moved, living in New York when I saw something on the news that started jogging my memory...a CSI in Las Vegas who had solved a cold case crime using the technique of identifying how long ago because of what bugs were on what part of body." He took a moment, looking her dead in the eyes before he whispered, "it was you."

Shocked, Sara rubbed her forehead at her temples trying to grasp at what he was saying, but then she remembered...months ago, she'd been on the news because of a crime committed in the early 90s, where a little girl had been presumed dead, but her body never found...until someone had stumbled upon it less than a year ago, and she'd been the lead on the case. It gained national attention, and had turned her into a minor celebrity over night. She would've never forgotten that case, nor now would she question how much turbulence her future would've been in without her doing that cover story.

"After that, it was basically just me needing to get well enough to travel on my own," Grissom said, looking at her and smiling softly. "But, and you may not believe this, but...all I had to do was to think of you and what I might be losing, and it kept me going."

Sara sat back, looking at him in confusion before cocking her head to the side. What he said last kind of got to her. "What do you mean, Gil...by 'what I might be losing'?"

Grissom just smiled, biting his lip before replying, "just what it means...what I was missing here, and had been for so many years."

And he hadn't known, Sara reminded herself. He couldn't help that he'd been injured. And Sara knew now that if he hadn't been in a coma, almost dead to a point, that he would've been here...with her...and with Scout.

Sara smiled softly, finally taking a deep breath in and letting it out. "I um...I never knew what to tell Scout. I um...I always imagined that her and I would stay just like that, just the two of us. But when she was three and started questioning you, I told her about you. I told her about what you did, and I'm even pretty sure that I showed a picture or two of you to her," she replied, suddenly smiling knowingly. That was why Scout had been so adamant about being around Grissom...because she had known who her father was, and what he looked like.

Grissom found himself chuckling at that little revelation. "So, I'm guessing that she's a curious snoop just like her mom," he said in a joking manner.

And, just like they'd been together for all those years, and not apart, Sara smiled, moving right next to him, playfully slapping him on the arm. "And smart, just like her father...quick to an answer, and always seems to know what the answer is."

Grissom smiled at that. "So, you named her after me?"

Sara laughed at that. "Yeah, she um...that name was tough to decide on, but it fits her. When I um...when I found that I really missed you, I'd call her Gilly...she smiles, but I'm the only one allowed to call her that. Anyone else, it's mostly Scout, Wynnie, Gil-Lian...she often says that her name is perfect, because she could always change her name without the extra money.

Chuckling, Grissom shook his head. "Yeah, I'd say she's identical to both of us."

Agreeing, Sara smiled her 'Sara' smile. "She is."

Than, as if no time had passed for them, Grissom took his chance. Leaning over, he cupped her chin in his hand. They both stared, eye to eye, looking deep into the windows of the others soul. Then, after only a few short moments, but what felt like an eternity, they both leaned in, sharing a passionate kiss.

Only the two of them mattered...until the clearing of a voice brought them out of their reverie.

Turning, Sara and Grissom were face to face with the stunned faces of Scout, Catherine and Nick, who was already back at the lab.

"Well, good thing I put the little kids to bed," Nick said with a chuckle.

Suddenly, her cheeks blushing and brandishing a bright red, Sara suddenly felt guilty for kissing him. Afterall, they still had a lot to work out, and she didn't want to get Scout's hopes up...just in case.

"Lab policy...no making out in the break room," Catherine said, grinning.

Scout chuckled. "And to think that she was gonna be mad at me for telling him."

Nick chucked Scout's shoulders playfully, and both were in a fit of laughter, that Catherine soon joined in...

...but not Sara and Grissom. Afterall, where were they supposed to go after this? Surely it was too soon to get back together.

And who knows...

...they might never.

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Enh, I was going to put them together, but decided not to ;)

Afterall, how would I write the rest of this story? Hehe!! Gotta put a little bit of conflict in here.

Anyway, more to come soon...I promise!!

~*CSISaraSidle72*~


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